Asia's biggest airshow kicks off as aviation industry hopes for recovery

Hundreds of carriers, manufacturers and other aviation executives have descended on the city-state for the four-day industry event that takes place every two years. 

A sharp fall in trade visitors is expected at the Singapore Airshow this week compared to the last edition two years ago as COVID-19 continues to hit the industry, the organiser said.

More than 13,000 trade visitors are expected at the biennial show from Tuesday to Friday, Experia Events Managing Director Leck Chet Lam told reporters, down from nearly 30,000 in 2020 and around 54,000 in 2018. There will be no public days this time.

Top of the agenda is how to spur a recovery in a region where international travellers still face a gauntlet of tests and lengthy quarantines, and foreign tourists remain barred from many countries. 

The event has bookended the pandemic, with the 2020 edition disrupted by the virus emerging from China and the latest show coming as the industry attempts to plot a way out of what became its biggest and most costly crisis.

Indian Air Force's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas showcased an enthralling display at the Singapore Airshow. The indigenously manufactured aircraft performanced low-level aerobatics displaying its superior handling characteristics and maneuverability.

Israel defence companies including Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries showcased their products such as advanced technologies such as drones, surface-to-surface missiles, missile defense systems and naval electronic warfare systems at the Singapore Airshow.

Singapore is Israel’s second-largest importer in Asia, with much of the exports believed to be arms and other weaponry.

On the first day of the 2022 Singapore Air Show, manufacturer Airbus made a strong showing, with orders confirmed for 48 aircraft. 

It has three aircraft at static display on the show including Cebu Pacific (5J) A330neo, a Korean Airlines (KE) A220-300 and Singapore Airlines (SQ) A350-900.

The world’s largest economy boasted the largest international presence at this year’s Singapore Airshow. The US occupied 30 percent of the airshow’s total indoor exhibit space in addition to static aircraft displays, which included the Southeast Asian debut of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets.

Visitors got the chance to witness a number of flyby aerial displays, including from the Indonesian Air Force's Jupiter Team. It performed a "cascade" stunt and another involving an upside-down jet mirroring another jet's flight path.